logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2021
1h 10m

139 - How to start your own design agenc...

THE FUTUR
About this episode

When you think of a design agency you might imagine a large, bustling office, with an open floor plan, teaming with creative people.

And most of the time, reality would meet your expectations. But not all of the time.

Because that's not what Philadelphia based agency, Superfriendly, is. It’s not even close.

Superfriendly is a distributed design collaborative. Which means their team members reside all over the world. Like specialized creative agents, they are tapped to collaborate on projects that maximize both their skill and their personal experience.

Our guest in this episode—Dan Mall—is the founder and sole employee of Superfriendly.

Dan shares how and why he structured his agency the way he did and why having the right people in the room is how you win.

You will also hear how Dan reverse engineered his entire career. From entry level designer to agency strategist and the double-edged sword of youthful arrogance.

But the most compelling part of this conversation is how Dan and Chris discuss pricing.

You’re probably familiar with the various pricing models. Like hourly, value-based, cost plus, etc. But have you ever thought about the ethics involved in each?

Some may think value-based pricing is unethical. Others might argue that charging hourly is. Who’s right? And what’s the most important part of the equation?

We’ll let you decide, but we suggest you listen to this episode first.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Jul 10
Why Sound Changes How We Feel w/ Oscar Höglund, CEO - Epidemic Sound | Ep 362
We want to hear from you.If you’ve been enjoying the show, we’d love your input. It only takes a minute to answer our listener survey, and your feedback really helps us improve the podcast: https://forms.gle/6j5GLzwK6GQF7Hzx7In this episode, Chris sits down with Oscar Höglund—Co- ... Show More
44m 24s
Jul 5
Is Entrepreneurship Still Worth It in 2025? w/ Jodie Cook | Ep 361
We want to hear from you.If you’ve been enjoying the show, we’d love your input. It only takes a minute to answer our listener survey, and your feedback really helps us improve the podcast: https://forms.gle/6j5GLzwK6GQF7Hzx7In this episode, I sit down again with Jodie Cook—entre ... Show More
38m 30s
Jul 3
The #1 Reason You Blow Up in Hard Conversations - With Simon Goode | Ep 360
We want to hear from you.If you’ve been enjoying the show, we’d love your input. It only takes a minute to answer our listener survey, and your feedback really helps us improve the podcast: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeb6AltIruAF2Ut0I3b-6XmdAeO0TNNJP_SlRGOo11syj4Uhw ... Show More
1h 22m
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2023
Creating A "Job" Versus A True Consulting Business With Tony Velasquez: Podcast #310
What makes you stand out from any other consulting businesses? How can you increase the value of your business? In this episode, Tony Velasquez, the CEO of Angelus Advisors, brings his wisdom on what makes a true consulting business and how consultants can build one instead of si ... Show More
48m 20s
Nov 2019
#397: Two Questions Every Entrepreneur Should Answer
"If the customer doesn't scream, you don't have product-market fit." — Andy RachleffWelcome to another episode of The Tim Ferriss Show. This time, we have a slightly different episode—a takeover by Mike Maples, Jr.Mike Maples, Jr. (@m2jr) and his firm, Floodgate, have invested in ... Show More
56m 8s
Feb 2022
Joey Levin - Building an Anti-Conglomerate - [Invest Like the Best, EP. 264]
My guest today is IAC’s CEO, Joey Levin. IAC is a unique business in that it’s a holding company which builds world-class digital businesses. Since Barry Diller created IAC over two decades ago, it has produced 11 public companies, including Match Group, Expedia, and Live Nation. ... Show More
1h 10m
Apr 2021
Tony Xu - A Human and Math Problem - [Founder’s Field Guide, EP. 28]
My guest today is Tony Xu, co-founder, and CEO of DoorDash. Tony started DoorDash 7.5 years ago, and today it is one of the largest food delivery and logistics platforms globally, with operations in the US, Canada, Australia. In our conversation, we discuss the initial problem th ... Show More
1h 6m
Dec 2023
How To Create An AI "Team" In Your Consulting Business With Christopher Penn: Podcast #314
AI has become a trend that many businesses delve into. And to keep your business on top, you've got to learn how to leverage it to set yourself to success. In this episode, Christopher Penn, the co-founder of TrustInsights, talks about how to create an AI team and grow the busine ... Show More
43m 33s
Sep 2023
How to Pivot and Succeed in Business | (on the Founder Podcast) Pt.1 - July ‘23 | Ep 604
“There are so many different ways, and people just aren't creative enough.” Today, join Alex (@AlexHormozi) as he guests on the Founder Podcast with Chris Lee to discuss the importance of showing initiative and having the necessary skills to identify a need for others. They also ... Show More
29m 22s
Jan 2022
393: How to Start a Digital Agency with Dee Deng of Right Hook
Dee Deng believes that there's no better time to start a digital agency than now. After a failed startup sent him on a journey of discovery, Dee met his future cofounder in a Neil Patel Facebook group. Together they launched Red Hook, a digital marketing agency that partners with ... Show More
50m 27s
Feb 2023
Jeff Green - Modernizing Advertising - [Invest Like the Best, EP.315]
My guest today is Jeff Green, the CEO and co-founder of advertising platform, The Trade Desk. The Trade Desk is the second advertising exchange Jeff has built, having sold his first venue to Microsoft in 2007. He started The Trade Desk in 2009 and has built it into a $30 billion ... Show More
1h 6m
Jun 2022
STEP 2022: Narmeen Naser, Creative Director & Founder of EngulfArt
At Step Conference, our guest host Rachel was joined by Narmeen Naser, the Creative Director and Founder of EngulfArt. EngulfArt is one of the largest creative collectives in the MENA Region, comprised of more than 600 artists including filmmakers, writers, content writers, desig ... Show More
12m 58s
Jun 2023
Robert Brunner: The design giant who hired Jony Ive
Show notes: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/robert-brunner-where-art-and-commerce Our guest today, Robert Brunner, once joked that his tombstone will say: “Here lies the guy who hired Jonathan Ive.” But there’s much more to Robert than that. He did indeed build out the industri ... Show More
53m 18s